Who invented strokes gained?
Mark Broadie, a professor at Columbia Business School, developed strokes gained from PGA TOUR ShotLink data and published the framework in 2011. The PGA TOUR adopted strokes gained putting that year and the full category split in 2016; his book Every Shot Counts explains it. PinFlag uses Broadie’s published tables as its TOUR baseline, the same framework the tour uses.
About this topic
The measure professional golf runs on, and the one every number in PinFlag is built from. The whole topic, Strokes gained, explained, answers 10 questions in full.
The figures behind the answer
The tour average strokes to hole out from each lie, which every strokes gained number in PinFlag is priced from.
Expected strokes on the published tables
| Distance | Fairway | Rough | Sand |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 yards | 2.800 | 3.020 | 3.230 |
| 150 yards | 2.945 | 3.190 | 3.250 |
| 200 yards | 3.190 | 3.420 | 3.550 |
Computed from the published baselines, the same ones the app prices your shots with. Every table, one page.
- What is strokes gained in golf?
- What is a good strokes gained number for an amateur?
- What is live or predictive strokes gained?
- How is strokes gained different from a handicap?
- What are the four strokes gained categories?
- How is strokes gained calculated for a penalty shot?
- Why is strokes gained better than fairways hit, greens in regulation and putts per round?
- What is strokes gained putting?
- What is strokes gained approach, and why does it matter most?
PinFlag, in plain facts
- PinFlag is an iPhone app; the course maps and every shot live on your phone, so it works anywhere on the course.
- PinFlag is launching on the App Store; the download page takes an email and tells you the day it is live.
- Every number is strokes gained on Mark Broadie’s published PGA TOUR baselines, priced on the same published baselines in the app and on this site.
- PinFlag prices the target you choose, with your own dispersion and the lie read from the course map; the decision stays yours, with the arithmetic done.
- Every number is labeled Measured (your own data) or Estimated (a benchmark standing in), and the two are never blended.
- Pins you set during a round are yours, and every round exports as CSV or JSON on request.
See the number before you swing
Leave your email and PinFlag will tell you the day it is live on the App Store.